Something Better
by Malachite
Summary: The boys are back home for fall break!  But what is up with James and his family?  Exactly how much pain has James been in this entire time?  Kendall's not sure, but he'll find out...Maybe eventual slash: "Kames" Kendall/James, or "Jarlos" James/Carlos.
1. Chapter 1

**Something Better**

**Author: Malachite**

**Disclaimer: So here's something I typed up late at night…I may add to it, or I may not. It's not exactly super edited or anything as I've only read through it a few times. I really just had to get the words down. BTR is not mine. This story is. Please review.**

Carlos bounced up and down in the backseat of the shiny red rental Audi, helmeted head coming thiiiis close to the ceiling. "This is so awesome that we get to come home for fall break!"

Logan nodded sagely. "It'll be nice to relax…we're really lucky Gustavo's mother forced him to come see her in Florida."

"Can't believe he took Kelly though," Kendall remarked drolly, "Who takes their personal assistant to visit their own mom?"

Carlos pointed out the window and patted Logan's shoulder rapidly to make the boy slow down. "Stop, stop! Hey James, here's your house!"

"Oh…yeah." James didn't even look out his window, busy playing with his phone.

"Your parents are expecting you, right?" Kendall asked, trying to get a reaction.

"Actually I was thinking of staying at a hotel. Five star of course. After all, I am used to a rock star lifestyle now." James adjusted his bangs haughtily.

"James, we barely qualify as musicians most of the time, let alone stars," Logan reminded him.

"Whatever." James slid down in the passenger's seat, pouting. He fiddled with his phone. "See, look, I can use Gustavo's…I mean, our card to book into the Hyatt right now. Ugh, I need a hot shower, I smell like airplane people!"

Kendall leaned forward from his seat behind James, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You should at least say hi and let them know you're in town."

James rolled his eyes. "Fine. I need my down jacket anyways." He flung open the car door, shaking his head and muttering. "It better still be in the coat closet."

Kendall and Logan traded a Significant Look. Carlos decided it was a good time to burst into one of his favorite commercial's theme songs. Kendall opened his door and slid out, leaving Logan to deal with the weirdness of their random fourth band mate.

He jogged a little to catch up with James, who was trudging forward at a pretty fast clip. It was awfully cold. "Hey dude, wait up."

James turned and leveled a death glare at the blonde. "Why are you following me?" he growled venomously. Oh yes, something was definitely wrong. Or amiss, as Logan would say.

"I just felt like coming with you?" Kendall tried, shrugging his shoulders and trying to give a combination of cluelessness and puppy dog eyes.

James turned back towards the car, narrowing his eyes as he watched Carlos obviously being loud and obnoxious. "Huh." He shook his head, rolling his eyes and trudging forwards again. "Whatever dude, I'm just getting my jacket."

Kendall tilted his head and scratched his chin thoughtfully, gazing at James thoughtfully through his bangs. "You didn't tell them we were coming back." It wasn't a question.

"So?" James stopped at the enormous carved wooden doors, fishing through his jeans pockets (rather awkwardly thanks to his gloves).

"I mean…they don't have time to get things ready for you and…"

He was cut off as James shot him another death glare, this one even icier than the first. He had finally gotten out his house key and unlocked the door, keeping his gaze locked on Kendall's the entire time. "…You'll see." He stepped inside, thankfully holding the heavy door open so the other boy could follow.

Kendall rubbed his arms as he followed James through the ornate reception area (it was far too big to be called an entryway…maybe a parlor?), wishing he had thrown on his jacket over his flannel. He could hear a television blaring from the family room.

A somewhat tired-looking middle-aged man holding a glass of wine and plate of food stepped out in front of them from behind a corner (the kitchen?) as James started to open the hallway closet door. "What are you doing here? You don't live here anymore." He said it with a slight laughing undertone, almost as if it was supposed to be a joke. Kendall didn't find it very funny though, especially when he saw James tense up and grit his teeth.

"I'm just getting my jacket, Dad." He flung open the door, shifting through hangers of expensive looking fur and leather jackets.

"Ah, okay," James' dad responded airily, taking his drink and snack to the family room. Kendall watched him sit next to James' mother, who barely spared a glance over the couch to her son. No acknowledgement. No questions. Nothing.

Kendall shook his head in confusion. This whole situation was making his head hurt. James had grabbed an obviously designer jacket from the closet and shut it firmly, turning on his heel and marching back towards the door. Kendall had to sprint again to catch up, grabbing a hold of the other boy's hand. "James?" He stared into James' hazel eyes, trying to figure out what in the world was going on.

James didn't meet Kendall's gaze, but tugged on his arm and led him down a hallway. "You know, I couldn't stay in my room even if I wanted to," he murmured as he stopped in front of a plain white wooden door.

Kendall frowned. "James, I'm really confused."

The pretty boy didn't reply, but simply opened the door to a dark room, warm stuffy air sweeping forward, bringing the scent of exhaust fumes. James flicked on the garage light, pointing towards several enormous piles of cardboard boxes stacked towards the ceiling. Most of the boxes weren't even closed or sealed, just randomly shoved into each other. Clothing, sneakers, video game system controllers, several hairdryers and flatirons, and massive amounts of…well, teenage boy crap, spilled out of the boxes. Magazines, empty shopping bags, and binders of trading cards leaked out of the box closest to them. James crossed his arms, turning around to face Kendall and tilting his head towards the heaps of cardboard. "My dad decided to make my room into his home office."

Kendall shook his head, unable to tear his gaze from his best friend's entire life shoved messily into a good twenty or thirty large moving boxes. "James…"

"Yeah…it's kinda like getting kicked out, huh? Good thing I took all my best stuff with me when we took off to LA."

"But your bedroom was fine when we left…"

"He texted me a few weeks after we left for LA with his whole home office plan. He packed it all up himself with one of his business lackeys." James waved a hand towards the boxes dismissively. "I can't even start to look through all that crap." He flicked the light switch off, stepping back into the house. Kendall followed, shutting the door quietly.

"James, you could've told us…you could've told me." Kendall grabbed at James' free hand not holding the hanger with his coat, and was quickly pulled back down the hallway and out the front door.

"It's not your problem." James shut the front door firmly, locking it from the outside and staring at his house key for a few seconds before shrugging and shoving it back in his pocket.

"But…how can they do that to you? Just box you up, right out of their lives?"

"They don't want me here. And I don't want to be here either. This just kinda reinforces that…"

"But it's so messed up!" Kendall grabbed James' shoulders firmly. "How can you not just bitch them out over how they treat you?"

"Well, it wouldn't solve anything…" James offered his version of Logan's crooked smile to Kendall, gently grabbing on to one of the blonde's arms. "And…I've got something better right now."

Kendall blinked, letting James tug him back down the obnoxiously long driveway towards their idling car. "Something better?"

"Yeah." James opened one of the rear doors, throwing his jacket (hanger and all) at Carlos' head and slamming the door shut again to muffle the resulting squawks of outrage. "Something better that my life there."

"You mean…living with us?" Kendall offered a small smile.

"Yeah." James suddenly grabbed Kendall into a tight hug, whispering roughly into the blonde's ear. "And you better be there for me tonight when this finally all hits me and I become a crying wreck."

"Always." Kendall adjusted his gray beanie, and then returned the hug, just as tight. The cold wasn't bothering him anymore. James warm, leather jacket-clad body was more than enough to melt the chilly autumn temperatures. "I'm always gonna be here for you. We're going to have a nice, relaxing vacation…and then get back to singing and dancing and becoming famous."

James swallowed hard, taking in a few slow, deep breaths. The scent of Kendall's cologne was making him a little lightheaded, and it was awfully warm in the tall boy's embrace. "You're quite a guy, Kendall Knight."

"You're pretty awesome too, James Diamond." Kendall grinned and rubbed James' back, absently noting that James' hair smelled amazing. He practically nuzzled the other boy's neck as he tried to get a better huff of it.

The rear car door opened again and James' jacket sailed out, smacking Kendall squarely in the head and hanging there on his shoulder. James grinned as Kendall growled in annoyance. "I better book my room…" He got back into the passenger's seat, pulling out his phone and getting to work.

Kendall walked James' coat to the overcrowded trunk, managing to lay it down somewhat folded so that it wouldn't be too horribly wrinkled. As he got back into his own seat, Carlos grabbed on to his arm. His big brown eyes were huge as he whimpered softly. "Logan said we can't go out to eat, cause our family's are expecting us and cooking dinner, but that's like in three whole hours, and I'm starving, and what kind of airline doesn't even serve pretzels on a flight from California to Minnesota!" He threw up his arms and then pouted, causing the other three boys to laugh good naturedly.

"You up for a late lunch, James?" Kendall smiled towards the boy sitting in front of him.

"Yeah, let's get our Carlitos fed. Find us something awesome, Logan!" James turned around in his seat, flashing a smile at Kendall.

Kendall's smile grew even brighter. He still didn't understand a lot about James' life but he could tell that right now, in this car, with his friends, the boy was happy. "Something better…" he whispered under his breath. James nodded slightly, reaching back to squeeze Kendall's hand in his.


	2. Chapter 2

**Something Better II**

**Author: Malachite**

**Disclaimer: Another nighttime fic. Also not exactly super edited or anything…but wanted to post it. BTR is not mine. This story is. Please review.**

James quietly padded towards the kitchen counter, sifting through the multiple piles of envelopes and magazines scattered about. He quickly moved through each pile, frustrated at how many little ones there were. He huffed when he noticed there were little piles in the dining room as well. "Because it's so hard to gather everything together," he mumbled under his breath.

"Stop snooping around," a droll female voice chided. James flicked his gaze up briefly from the envelopes he was shuffling through, and then went back to the task at hand.

"I'm just getting my mail, Mom." He coughed sharply as he shoved the only two envelopes he'd found with his name into his pocket, wincing as his chest tightened uncomfortably. "It's all spread out."

She sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Just stop snooping and go home."

He coughed again, pounding his chest as he swiftly walked down a hallway. "After I use the bathroom!" He sprinted to the hallway bathroom, trying to ignore his mother's protests. He peeked in, and then loudly shut the door, still standing in the hallway. Trying t keep the strange coughing-wheezing under control, he quietly, in his best ninja manner, made his way to his old bedroom.

He stepped into the dark room, flicking on the lights, then immediately felt his heart wrench. It'd been months since his father had insisted that that the room needed to be emptied out (even the closets), but the only difference was the carpet looked freshly vacuumed. Even all his bedroom set furniture was there. He coughed painfully, leaning against the wall as his stomach flipped and chest ached. He felt ill, and like he couldn't breathe properly. A whimper slipped out his lips, sounding off the empty room's bare walls.

Why? Why was his room, his life shoved into open crappy cardboard boxes in a dingy garage then? He took one last look around, and then stomped out, unable to be there anymore. He didn't know how to feel. Betrayed? Angry? Sad? Unloved? Unloved definitely. He noisily opened the bathroom door as he passed it, and then strode past his mother watching television and ignoring him. He bitterly noticed his father's office moved into the living room (previously more of a sitting room for entertaining guests really). Wonderful.

The garage was open when he stepped out of the front door into the driveway, revealing the living room end tables and sofa. "Of course," he muttered in annoyance.

His father was puttering around noisily in the garage as James walked by. "Hello, son" he greeted curtly.

"Hello." James responded just as curtly, hopping into the rental car and zooming out. He needed to calm down somehow.

* * *

><p>James threw open the hotel's lobby doors, growling. He stomped into the open elevator, jabbing his floor number and pouting fiercely. "Stupid Kendall and his stupid family reunion dinner!" To his credit, the blonde boy was very sweet and supportive over the phone, but that just made James tear up and need the blonde's presence that much more. He marched down the hallway and jammed his cardkey into his door, yanking it open, and was immediately hit with the scent of chocolate and…baking?<p>

"James!" Carlos head popped up from the suite's couch. The Latino boy grinned, holding up a huge plastic wrapped plate of cookies. "Look what I got for you!"

James couldn't help the soft smile that tugged at his lips. "Carlos…"

Carlos leapt off the couch, dashing up to the taller boy and smiling up, whipping the plastic off and shoving the plate in James' face. "Look!"

James took a step back, inhaling the delicious scent. "These…are oatmeal chocolate chip…my favorite…" He delicately took one, biting into the chewy treat. It was still moist, warm, and gooey. James moaned in pleasure, talking with his mouth full. "These are amazing! Don't tell me you…?"

Carlos bounced on his heels, ducking his head as he blushed. "Yeah, I did." He put down the plate on the kitchenette counter and stared as James polished off cookie number one, licked his fingers, and started on his second. He blushed even more at the sight of James sucking melted chocolate off of his fingertips.

"Yeah, Mama is gonna freak when she sees what I did to her kitchen…" He looked up and smirked mischievously at James. "But it was an emergency! I had no time to clean up!"

James finished his second cookie, and then grabbed a water bottle out of the mini fridge. He thoughtfully twisted off the cap and took a sip. "It's destroyed, isn't it?" He smirked as he took a long drink.

Carlos nodded, rubbing the back of his head, which James noticed was surprisingly helmet free. "Yeah, it's bad…that's why I had to hurry once I got them out of the oven! I couldn't even get my helmet!"

James put down the water bottle on the counter, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Carlos was fidgeting and jittering, looking more embarrassed than ever. It was extremely cute. James stepped forward, wrapping the shorter boy in his arms. Carlos squeezed back tight. "Thank you. Thank you…so much."

Carlos tucked his head under James' chin, smiling warmly. "Welcome…Kendal said it was an emergency so…I just…I wanted to try make you happy."

James pulled back a little, resting his hands on Carlos' shoulders as he stared into the boy's big, deep brown eyes that glowed with friendship and light. "You have. I'm…happy."

Carlos bit his lip, tilting his head and looking up at his friend curiously. "Are you mad at Kendall for telling me about the whole bedroom thing? Oh, and Logan too…"

"What? No, I told him he could anyways. You guys are everything to me. I know you'll always be there for me."

Carlos fiddled with the string on his hoodie. "Kendall was really pissed when his mom wouldn't let him come. Logan convinced him not to steal his mom's car keys and drive here. Logan's with his grandparents so…I'm sorry, you get third best…"

James flicked Carlos in the head, causing an "ow" and pout. "You're not third best. You're really cool, and awesome, and a great friend, and…sweet." James grinned as Carlos ducked his head again.

Feeling impulsive, Carlos grabbed James in a tight bear hug, voice raspy and barely above a hoarse whisper. "I know you think your family doesn't love you." James' breath hitched. "But I love you. You're my best friend!" He swallowed hard. "I need you…"

James rubbed Carlos' back, a nice warm feeling replacing the painful tightness that had him coughing and gasping all day. "I need you too…"


End file.
